James D J Brown

Professor James D J Brown is a Professor of Political Science at Temple University, Japan Campus. His current research focus is Japan-Russia relations and intelligence, especially Russian espionage against Japan and Japan's ongoing intelligence reforms.

Professor Brown received his undergraduate degree from the University of York. He has postgraduate degrees from the universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow and received his PhD in International Relations from the University of Aberdeen. Professor Brown was a recipient of the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation's Daiwa Scholarship in 2011. He has lived in Japan since that date.

Professor Brown’s books include:

Japan, Russia and their Territorial Dispute: The Northern Delusion (2016).
Cracking the Crab: Russian Espionage Against Japan, from Peter the Great to Richard Sorge (2025). 
Spy Paradise: Russian Espionage Against Japan, from the Cold War to Cyber Spying (2027).

Professor Brown regularly writes commentary / opinion pieces, including for Nikkei Asia, Carnegie Politika, The Moscow Times, and the RUSI website. He is also frequently quoted in the media, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Japan Times, and Reuters. He has made television appearances on the BBC, France24, and DW.